Adaptable hub motor and related systems and methods

{
  "publication_number": "US10023043B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Adaptable hub motor and related systems and methods",
  "abstract": "The various embodiments disclosed herein relate to an adaptable hub motor having two or more adaptor sleeves that allow for the hub motor to be attached to or incorporated into various different types of pallet jacks. Other implementations relate to a kit having a hub motor and two or more adaptor sleeves for such use.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An adaptable hub motor comprising: (a) a cylindrical motor body comprising a motor lumen defined through the motor body, wherein the motor body is operably coupled to a wheel such that actuation of the motor body causes rotation of the wheel; (b) a first adaptor sleeve comprising: (i) a first cylindrical sleeve body having a predetermined outer diameter such that the sleeve body is sized to fit into the motor lumen; (ii) a first sleeve lumen defined within the sleeve body, wherein the first sleeve lumen has a first predetermined inner diameter such that the sleeve lumen is sized to fit over an axle of a first pallet jack; and (iii) a first coupling component disposed on the outer diameter of the sleeve body, wherein the coupling component is configured to facilitate coupling with the motor lumen; and (c) an elongate wired connection operably coupled to the first adaptor sleeve.",
    "2. The hub motor of claim 1, further comprising a second adaptor sleeve comprising a second sleeve lumen defined within a second cylindrical sleeve body, wherein the second sleeve lumen has a second predetermined inner diameter such that the second sleeve lumen is sized to fit over an axle of a second pallet jack.",
    "3. The hub motor of claim 1, wherein the elongate wired connection is operably coupled to a controller and a power source.",
    "4. The hub motor of claim 1, further comprising at least one locking mechanism configured to fixedly couple the first cylindrical sleeve body to the axle of the first pallet jack.",
    "5. The adaptable hub motor of claim 1, wherein the first coupling component comprises a first set of ribs or threads.",
    "6. The adaptable hub motor of claim 1, further comprising a second coupling component disposed on a surface of the motor lumen, wherein the second coupling component is mateable with the first coupling component.",
    "7. The adaptable hub motor of claim 6, wherein the first and second coupling components are constructed and arranged to allow transmission of electrical and electronic communications between the first adaptor sleeve and the cylindrical motor body via the first and second coupling components.",
    "8. The adaptable hub motor of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical motor body is rotatable around the first adaptor sleeve.",
    "9. The adaptable hub motor of claim 1, wherein the elongate wired connection is operably coupled to a controller.",
    "10. The adaptable hub motor of claim 1, wherein the elongate wired connection is operably coupled to a power source.",
    "11. An adaptable hub motor kit comprising: (a) a hub motor comprising a cylindrical motor body comprising a motor lumen defined through the motor body, wherein the motor body is operably coupleable to a wheel such that actuation of the motor body causes rotation of the wheel; (b) a first adaptor sleeve comprising: (i) a first cylindrical sleeve body having a predetermined outer diameter such that the sleeve body is sized to fit into the motor lumen; (ii) a first sleeve lumen defined within the first sleeve body, wherein the first sleeve lumen has a first predetermined inner diameter such that the sleeve lumen is sized to fit over an axle of a first pallet jack; and (iii) a first coupling component disposed on the outer diameter of the sleeve body, wherein the coupling component is configured to facilitate coupling with the motor lumen; (c) a first elongate wired connection operably coupled to the first adaptor sleeve; and (d) a second adaptor sleeve comprising: (i) a second cylindrical sleeve body having a predetermined outer diameter such that the sleeve body is sized to fit into the motor lumen; (ii) a second sleeve lumen defined within the second sleeve body, wherein the second sleeve lumen has a second predetermined inner diameter such that the second sleeve lumen is sized to fit over an axle of a second pallet jack, wherein the second sleeve lumen has a diameter that is different from a diameter of the first sleeve lumen; and (iii) a second coupling component disposed on the outer diameter of the second sleeve body, wherein the second coupling component is configured to facilitate coupling with the motor lumen.",
    "12. The hub motor kit of claim 11, wherein the first elongate wired connection is operably coupled to a controller and a power source.",
    "13. The hub motor kit of claim 11, further comprising a second elongate wired connection operably coupled to the second adaptor sleeve.",
    "14. The hub motor kit of claim 11, wherein the first coupling component comprises a first set of ribs or threads and the second coupling component comprises a second set of ribs or threads.",
    "15. The hub motor kit of claim 11, further comprising: (a) at least one first locking mechanism configured to fixedly couple the first cylindrical sleeve body to the axle of the first pallet jack; and (b) at least one second locking mechanism configured to fixedly couple the second cylindrical sleeve body to the axle of the second pallet jack.",
    "16. An adaptable hub motor kit comprising: (a) a hub motor comprising a cylindrical motor body comprising a motor lumen defined through the motor body, wherein the motor body is operably coupleable to a wheel such that actuation of the motor body causes rotation of the wheel; (b) a plurality of adaptor sleeves, each of the plurality of adaptor sleeves comprising: (i) a cylindrical sleeve body having a predetermined outer diameter such that the sleeve body is sized to fit into the motor lumen; (ii) a sleeve lumen defined within the cylindrical sleeve body, wherein the sleeve lumen has a predetermined inner diameter; and (iii) a coupling component disposed on the outer diameter of the sleeve body, wherein the coupling component is configured to facilitate coupling with the motor lumen, wherein the predetermined inner diameter of each of the plurality of adaptor sleeves is different such that each of the plurality of adaptor sleeves is sized to fit over an axle of a different pallet jack in relation to each of the other adaptor sleeves of the plurality of adaptor sleeves; and (c) an elongate wired connection operably coupled to one of the plurality of adaptor sleeves.",
    "17. The hub motor kit of claim 16, wherein the elongate wired connection is operably coupled to a controller and a power source.",
    "18. The hub motor kit of claim 16, wherein the coupling component comprises a first set of ribs or threads.",
    "19. The hub motor kit of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of adaptor sleeves further comprises at least one locking mechanism."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The various embodiments herein relate to improved motors for use with carts and pallet jacks, and more specifically to adaptable hub motors for use in carts and pallet jacks.\n\nThere are multiple manual and motorized pallet jacks on the market. One example of such a manual jack is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, which depict standard pallet jack 10. The jack 10 has a body 12, two pallet forks 14 A, 14 B extending from the body 12, two fork wheels 16 A, 16 B at the distal ends of the forks 14 A, 14 B, a steering mechanism 18, and two swivel wheels 20 A, 20 B operably coupled to the steering mechanism 18.\n\nThe steering mechanism 18 has an elongate member 30 and a handle 32. As best shown in FIG. 1B, the two swivel wheels 20 A, 20 B are coupled to the elongate member 30 of the steering mechanism 18 via a fixed axle 34, which is fixedly coupled to the elongate member 30. Each of the swivel wheels 20 A, 20 B rotate around the fixed axle 34. When the steering mechanism 18 is urged to the right or left by a user, thereby rotating the elongate member 30, the rotation of the elongate member 30 causes the fixed axle 34 to rotate around an axis parallel to the elongate member 30, thereby causing the wheels 20 A, 20 B to swivel. This action allows the user to steer the pallet jack 10.\n\nIn some rare circumstances, manual pallet jacks such as the one described above are modified to add a motor that can be used to propel the jack, thereby reducing the amount of effort required by the user.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60K 7/0007",
    "B60K 2007/0038",
    "B60K 2007/0092",
    "B60Y 2200/66",
    "B62B 3/0612",
    "B62B 5/004",
    "B62B 5/005",
    "F16C 3/023",
    "H02K 5/00",
    "H02K 5/225",
    "H02K 7/14"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60K 7/00",
    "B62B 3/06",
    "B62B 5/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Dane Technologies Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Dan Johnson"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-04-20",
  "publication_date": "2018-07-17",
  "grant_date": "2018-07-17",
  "priority_date": "2015-04-20",
  "application_number": "US-201615134091-A",
  "family_id": "57128360",
  "cited_by_count": 5,
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}